I thought I would start a series of posts on the cook books – and books of cookery writing – that I think are the best out there. I end the post with my favourite recipe from the book – Butter Tarts.
So many of you might be thinking, why the heck is the first one up Home Recipes with Be-Ro (or as it is known to me, The Be-Ro Book)? Well it is this book that got me into cookery in the first place because it was the one my Mum used when I was growing up. Before I was even thought of my Mum owned a bakery and so we had the luxury of having most things baked or cooked from scratch. This was the go-to book for all the family staples, and when I was off school on holiday and it was raining outside she would entertain me and my brother by giving us pastry trimmings to cut out. As we got older we chose recipes from The Be-Ro Book and cooked them with help from Mum. So I was essentially brought up on this book and its recipes, and it is certainly where I got my enthusiasm for cooking; I have been conditioned to feel at home in the kitchen.
The copy I have is the Centenary Edition, though it doesn’t say anywhere in the book when in was printed. I know that the Be-Ro Flour Company was formed in the 1880s, so it dates the book to the 1980s. My Mum has an even older copy this one, though the recipes are identical. Be-Ro still makes flour and Be-Ro recipe books are still printed today, these days of course you can go onto the Be-Ro website you will find the same recipes, which haven’t changed.
Well almost; the main difference between my copy of The Be-Ro Book and the modern version is that it suffers rather from a post-war rationing complex – most recipes ask for margarine rather than butter. Luckily shortbread escapes this, but buttercream does not. In fact there’s a lot of nasty margarine-based buttercream.
You are forgiven for not holding this book in as high esteem as I do, yet the classics are here, and they bring back great childhood memories. I also have to say it has really good basic skills teaching too, so don’t underrate it.
Many of the recipes are coming back into fashion, especially now that budgets are a little less flexible and the weather is cold and wet. Personal favourites of mine include a really excellent moist and light milk chocolate cake; its secret is the inclusion of evaporated milk and my Mum still bakes it. The steamed sponge puddings are excellent too as are the many tea loaves. It does fail on a terrible recipe for flapjacks that uses cornflakes instead of oats. You can’t win them all though, can you?
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Butter Tarts
In my opinion these butter tarts are the best things in this book, though I have made a few changes to the original recipe. The filling is a mixture of raisins in a sweet caramel sauce that forms a delicious chewy crust as it bakes.
This recipe makes 12 butter tarts.
Ingredients
shortcrust pastry made with 8 oz flour and 4 oz of butter (or butter and lard)
1 oz butter
2 oz caster sugar
2 oz soft dark brown sugar
4 oz raisins
a few drops of vanilla extract
Roll out the pastry thinly and cut out circles using a pastry cutter measuring 3 ½ inches in diameter and line a steep-sided patty pan tray. You can use a tart tin, but I find you can’t get enough of the filling in.
Melt the butter in a saucepan, take off the heat and stir in the remaining ingredients. Add 2 teaspoons of mixture per tray – this should be just enough for 12 tarts.
Bake for 15-20 minutes at 200⁰C (400⁰F) and cool on a wire rack.
British Food: A History 
Reblogged this on Treasures and Memories.
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I say, you’ve been keeping this one pretty close to your chest for a long time! You’ve made me recall a flour-encrusted, fat-splattered copy of this in the kitchen of my childhood (77 departed years). Thanks, I shall use this with great satisfaction over the summer. I also have a 1960 Homepride book of baking recipes that’s pretty good.
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I never used the Homepride book, but I think it’s great these types of books are still used. It back to basics, which in my opinion, is the best way forward…
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the first bo-ro book was produced and handed out free at exhibitions only 19 pages in 1923
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Thanks Jan. Do you have a copy of it? I wonder if there’s any facsimiles online. I shall have a little google search later….
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Thanks Jan. Do you have a copy of it? I wonder if there’s any facsimiles online. I shall have a little google search later….
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I agree – they are the best books. Both my nan and my mum had a couple of copies that i grew up with and I use the later ones (edition 40 and 41) with my daughter now x The earliest copy i have is the 5th edition from the 1920’s. I have now have 23 out of 41 collected 🙂 Its fascinating to read the comments and how attitudes have changed.
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Thanks for your comment Lystra – I think my mumhas the same editions you grew up with. They are great and still very relevent, and reasonable thrifty too
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I have a copy of the Sixteenth Edition given to me by my mother in the U.K. I live in Canada and still love to refer to this book and just to have it in my possession is great
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It’s just amazing how popular this post. I had no idea that it was so loved!
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Found mine on ebay. There where several copies ( used) being offered for sale. Good luck.
PS. I love in USA . Book cost wasn’t too bad, posted from UK is another story.
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I have enjoyed recipes from the Be-Ro cookbook. Unfortunately, living in Canada, I am unable to purchase the book. My husband is from Malta, Europe and both is mother and sisters use the book. Suggestions on how I can purchase the recipe book would be greatly appreciated. I found a website but it was for UK only. Thank you.
Vicky Miceli — vlmiceli@hotmail.com
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Hi Vicky
I am sure you’ll be able to buy it on Amazon and get it sent over – either through Amazon Canada or Amazon UK. I’d try that first. After that, I am not sure…
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Hi buttery77
Thank you for your suggestion. I’ll try Amazon and see what happens.
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I seem to remember a friend doing it once. Though I might just be making it up!
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Ok, thanks
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please please can you tell me what edition is the above milk chocolate recipe out of? as I have a very well used book and I need to replace it, many thanks.
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I’m not sure – I know it was the centerary edition, so I think that makes it 1975. My books are tidied away at the moment as I am doing lots of stuff to the house. I seem to remember that i couldn’t find the exact year in the book anywhere… hope that’s some help..?
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We had that exact edition, In fact I just texted my mum to see if she still had it so that when I do a recipe from it for my blog, I’ll have a picture of the book..
That brings back so many memories of my childhood..
x
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I’m glad it brough back some memories! Which recipe/s will you cook do you think?
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I’m going to make a bacon suet roll, the last time I made it was when I was about 11, I thought it would be a nice nostalgic comfort dinner..
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How do I order a book
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I’m sure yuo can get one from Amazon or from Be-Ro themselves. Try their website, I’d say!
Hope that helps
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For many years I’ve wondered when the centenery edition was published as it has no date inside it, but only just googled it today and found your page. I grew up in Australia using this book which my grandmother’s sister in Leeds sent her. It has travelled many miles and seen many kitchens and is now back in the UK where I am now. I just got it out today to make my Christmas cakes and how funny to see the exact page I’m using scanned in on your site. It is a wonderful baking book. I did wonder at the many margarine references rather than butter but now I know why! The Easy Fruit Cake on the next page is a brilliant recipe and has been a staple in my house every year. X
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Thanks for your comment Suzy! It’s such a great book that is pretty much remained unchanged, ignoring changing fads and fashions and keeping its heels well dug in. I’m glad so may others use it too
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Oh how I love my little Be-Ro cookbook, I was introduced to it in the late 1950’s early 1960’s at school in the domestic science lessons. Our teacher would select a recipe for us to make, but as our education progressed she advised us to get our own copy. Since which time it has been a constant on my cookery bookshelf – you can tell which one it is – it is the dog-eared one right at the front. I taught both my children to cook, using Be-Ro, and now my grandchildren are being taught by their parents using the good old Be-Ro. The recipes are clear and easy to folllow, with familIarity comes the confidence to experiment with the basis recipes, and that is how our family favourites came about. Thank you Be-Ro.
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Thanks for your comment Doreen!
This is one of my most popular posts – definitely the most comment on. It’s so nice to hear from people like you that use this book in the way they do. My Mum cooks from it, I cook from it, and i’m sure the next generation will too!
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I am in Canada, If I send you a postal order for 5 pounds could you send me a Bero book to Mrs Alison Heaps 74 Kintyre St. Courtice Ontario Canada L1E 2Y6 Remember these “Gems” from the good auld days.
Many thanks Alison ………………………. ….email Medfleet@Rogers.com
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Hi Alison
I can do that for you, but they seem to be rather pricey these days! Even relatively recent ones are going for over a tenner on Amazon!
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Have only just visited this site – so many people have memories of Be-Ro. I first used one in home ec at school – still refer to it loads of years later
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It is amazing how important and relevant this book was and still is! Thanks for your comments Sheila
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I still have the (now very tatty) copy that my Mum had when I was a child. No date or edition statement, but there are some line drawings in the style of the 1950s.
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I have some managed to acquire 3 copies! The Centenary one, another around 5 years older [similar to yours perhaps?] and another from the 2000s. THey all have identical recipes in them!
Thanks for your comment Kate!
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I have the 16th edition and a much later one both in excellent condition and I do use them
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Hi, is there a first edition Bero cook book you have for sale, they all have great recipes.
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Hi there. I don’t have one for sale, but I am sure you can get one off Amazon or ebay…or contact Be-Ro themselves…? I hope that helps.
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I have my gran’s Bero cookbook and it is my bible! There is no colour in it, all line drawings. I remember her using it when I was a kid in the 60s. She passed in 1985. I kept her copy and when I got married in 1985 I wrote to Bero and they sent me an updated copy (which is almost identical) printed in 1982. Now my second copy is getting dogeared so I’ll be asking my dad who is still in the UK to order a new edition for me and another for my daughter who is now an adult. Best book ever!
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Thanks for your comment, Datte
It truly is an amazing book, but beware! The more recent editions have been a bit trendied up. Gone is the recipe for butter tarts, for example, and instead cupcakes and frosting. I have one from the late nineties that is pretty much the same as the original.
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You can get a copy from the Be-ro website:
http://www.be-ro.co.uk/index.asp
Dear Be-Ro lovers,
For the 41st edition Be-Ro recipe book, send your name and address along with your payment for £2.50 (this includes P&P to UK) to The Be-Ro kitchen, PO Box 100, Blackburn, Lancs, BB0 1GR. Cheques or postal orders only. No cash please
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Thanks very much! So many folk are trying to get hold of copies
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the be-ro book is really sop
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I have a very tatty but well loved copy of Bero Book from the early 1960s. I use it a lot and it is associated with wonderful memories of baking with my mum, grandmas and friends whilst a student at Aberdeen Unifersity . It is a classic!😄
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Hi Janet
Thanks very much for your comment. I’m so glad I am getting all this BeRo love!
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Can u plz tell me were i can book 100yearscentenary edition
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Hi Pauline
Aside from ebay , I have no suggestions, I’m afraid, though do look back on this thread because there’s a message from BeRo about buying copies of the book. They might be able to help?
Thanks for the comment!
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Have just rescued my mother’s copy that pre-dated the Centenary version… VERY flour and dough-spattered, but still usable. Hundreds of cakes were baked for church occasions, coffee mornings, bazaars, you name it in the 1960s and 70s. I gave my copy to a friend, but kept the Centenary version as the cure for homesickness here in Denmark!
We can’t get condensed milk, but make the Milk Chocolate Cake with an extra egg and single cream. (And often double all the quantities – it freezes well.) We simply put white chocolate buttons on the top when the cake comes out of the oven, or a mixture of dark and white for a marbled effect, and then spread them gently when they melt.
This has been a success at my son’s school years ago, as a present to friends and at our walking club… not to mention as a trusty family favourite.
I make several of the other recipes regularly too…
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Thanks so much for your comment. My mum has a very early version which is tiny and very well loved. I expect it to be left to me in the will! It pleases me that there is a sprinkling of people all over the world that use this book.
I have fond memories of that chocolate cake – it’s still very good AND it predates the times of high cocoa solid chocolate.
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Can anyone give me the recipe for easy fruit cake? I’ve had this book for years lost it in house move!
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I’ll try and post it when I getthe chance….unless someone beats me to it!
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Much appreciated!!!
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Thank you! Much appreciated!
Sent from my iPad
>
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Can the recipes in the wonderful Bero cookbooks be made using Canadian ingredients?
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They certainly can – some might have to be bought in specialist shops or online (when i lived in the US, suet had be bought online I remember). Let me know if you need anything explaining
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Hi my mum had the be-ro book when I was a child, the chocolate cake was made religiously for my birthday until I was in my mid 20’s! There was also a recipe for a self saucing chocolate sponge pudding. I mentioned this to my mum the other day but unfortunately she has lost her prized recipe book. I’ve looked on be-ro’s website but there’s no mention of a self spacing chocolate sponge pudding. I’d love to buy a new copy for my mum with that recipe in it, could anyone let me know if it’s in the centenary version? It would have been made by my mum in the 70’s and 80’s although I have no idea which version of the book she had. Any help would be gratefully received. Thanks in advance.
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Hi Paul – sorry for the late reply! I have no recollection of such a cake, but some of the recipes did change between editions. I hope someone spots it in one of their editions!
Thanks for the post!
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My mum baked from her Be-Ro book all the time, so much in fact that it fell apart 😦 The catastrophe of this is that we never again found the pages that contained BACON SUET ROLY POLY. We loved it as children!!!
I ordered myself a copy of the book a few years back, but many of the old favourites, including this one, weren’t in there.
I don’t suppose you have a copy of the recipe??
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I do have a copy of it, though I’ve never tried it. I’ll try and post it for you…
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Do you follow me on twitter? @neilbuttery I’ll post it as a pic
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I am one of the little girls on the back of the 1950 Be-Ro recipe book. This picture was taken from the 40 minute demonstration film made at Daybrook, Nottingham. I am sitting next to Mr Bell’s secretary, Joyce Bostock. She and her husband Colin were friends of my parents. The other children, Wendy, Alan and Raymond were all the children of employees at their Daybrook works. The film, a very early advertising film made before the advent of ITV, for many years went on its rounds to WIs and suchlike places. Alan’s grandmother, whose name I forget, was Bero’s recipe manager/cook and was the demonstrator in the film. All the lovely cakes and pastries she made were attacked at the children’s party at the end of the film. Does any know whether the film exists in any form. It would be good to see it again. I was 6 or 7 at the time, and now I’m 73!
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Wow! Thanks so much for getting in contact Penelope, because so many people love the Be-Ro Book. It’s my most commented upon blog post. I do hope it’s on YouTube or something. When I get the chance, I’ll have a look-see.
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I still have two old Before books – one is 21st edition, and the other just says 24th million so presumably is 24th edition. Both are well used and a bit dog-eared, but I use them more than my newer shiny one of a couple of years!
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I much prefer the older editions too. I have a newish one and don’t like it. It has new recipes in it! They’ve no right to put new ones in!
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I have a very old copy of the Bero cookery book, but bought a later one for my daughter. It’s edition 38. Any idea which year it would have been printed? Looking at the cover, I would guess the 1980’s. Definitely more jazzed up than my older edition! Both equally useful, though! Love it!
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Hi there Liz. As far as I know there was a new edition every year. The first edition was published in 1923, so edition 38 should be 1961, unless they missed out editions during WWII. Thanks for the comment – there’s alot of love for the BeRo book!
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I’m afraid it isn’t printed every year or now (2021) would be almost the 100th edition, but they are only on the 41st edition.
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I have the 37th and 38th editions, that I sent for in the 1980s/1990s. I got them directly from Be-Ro and at the time that I got them they were the latest editions. Definitely not printed every year.
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I still use my Mum’s 21st edition of the Be-Ro book and I am eating a piece of the chocolate spice cake as type this. The recipes are wonderful but yes – I agree – a little heavy on the use of margarine rather than butter…..but that is clearly due to rationing issues. Easy to substitute though. Also, the quantities can seem a little stingy but this was due to the preference for smaller cake tins in those days. So I often double up ingredients – as with the choc spice cake to fill my greedy-guts larger baking tins! I bought one of the “newer ” editions back in the 80’s but never really used it and it was consigned to the charity shop. The older editions are definitly better!!
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Hi Janet
I’m so please that the Be-Ro book is so well used by people all over the world! I’ve never tried the chocolate spice cake, so I’ll it a go next time I’m in the mood for a baking session.
Thanks so much for your comment!
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I live in the U.S. now. I have the 1923 edition that belonged to my Mother. Also be that is the 40th edition. I would really like to purchase the latest edition. Can you please give me a website.
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The BeRo website is your best bet I would think. Newer editions are becoming less common…not even sure if new editions are even published to be honest!
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For anyone interested in the age of their Be-ro book I have received this from Be-ro.
Thank you for your e-mail regarding our Be-Ro Recipe Books.
We have passed your comments onto our Marketing Team. Meanwhile you may find this useful, a list of when some of the editions were published:
1st 1923
2nd 1924
3rd 1925
4th 1926
5th 1926
6th 1928
7th 1929
8th 1930
9th 1931
10th 1932
11th 1933
12th 1947
13th 1948
14th 1949
15th 1951
16th 1953
17th 1954
18th 1955
19th 1956
20th 1957
21st 1958
22nd 1959
23rd 1960
24th 1961
25th 1962
26th 1963
27th TBC
28th TBC
29th TBC
30th TBC
31st TBC
32nd TBC
33rd TBC
34th 1975
35th 1978
36th 1980
37th 1982
38th 1988
Centenary Edition 1990
39th 1992
40th 1999
41st Current Edition 2009
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Thanks Leslie. That’s great.
I think there are errors on here though. The Centenary Edition is definitely older than 1990. I definitely used it my my Mum in the 1980s!
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We need the old ways back I was baking at 12 years old and we loved the bero book easy to understand
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Yes – it should be everyoe’s first cook book!
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Hello I’m hoping that you might be able to help me I have a 1945 bero cook book 17th edition apart from a tiny tearing the cor er it has no other stains on. I know that it use to belong to my great grandmother who was given it from her mum and its been passed down the line to hopefully my daughter or son will get it. I was told that it maybe worth something in years to come as it has been in a bag for the last few years I was wondering if you might know anything about it or know someone that does. Please I am very interested to know more about this .
Hope you can shi e some light on this
Your kind regards
Kate
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Hi Katherine. I reckon the best people to contact are Be-Ro themselves. They are very helpful and will know lots about it. They crop up all the time on eBay and Etsy so keep a look out on there too. Hope that helps!
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Kate, if you look on Ebay UK you will see lots of Bero books for sale and see the prices that the different editions go for. But I would keep it.
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https://ia801700.us.archive.org/6/items/be-ro-Home-Recipes-1967/BeRo-Cookbook-COMPLETE-COPY.pdf An old copy from the Internet Archive for those who are interested.
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This is great! Thanks Anne
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